We like to offer the creme de la creme of workshops to our alumni. We have visiting ukulele virtuosos and world renowned performers come and keep our ex students abreast with the best.

Ukulele Workshop in London, UK with James Hill

Ukulele Workshop with Ukulele Virtuoso, James Hill. 11 March.

James Hill and Anne Janelle

It is with the greatest pleasure that I announce a workshop with James Hill and Anne Janelle for our alumni students. As most of you will know, James is one of three true ukulele virtuosos that I am aware of in the world. The words ‘ukulele virtuoso’ are used liberally by some to describe guitarists who are able to hack and play lead lines on a ukulele, but I know of only three actual ukulele virtuosos. In March 2014, you’ll get to have a workshop with one of them. Very exciting!

Even better than that, you’ll get double the fun. The amazing Anne Janelle (James’s wife, and incredibly talented partner in crime – she’s a phenomenal cellist, performer and recording artist.) will be with him. The reason he’s in town is because of Anne’s tour. He’ll accompany her on stage at the Green Note in Camden, with the beautiful folk group Troubadour Rose on March 23. If you want to go and see the (highly recommended) show, then you can grab yourself a ticket here.

Here’s James’s actual biography: Since the release of his first solo ukulele album in 2002, James has become recognized as “one of the world’s top composers for the ukulele” (Rafe Mair, 600AM Vancouver), renowned for his “world-class command of the instrument” (John Berger, Honolulu Star-Bulletin).

James, who holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of British Columbia, is also a distinguished teacher. He has presented ukulele workshops throughout Canada and the United States, as well as in Japan, Germany, Italy, Sweden and New Zealand. He has twice been invited to teach and perform at the renowned `Ukulele and Slack Key Guitar Institute in Waimea, HI, and has lectured at Queen’s University in Kingston, ON, and at the University of Oregon. James is co-author of the acclaimed Ukulele in the Classroom method book series.

“Possibly the best ukulele player in the world… Hill wowed and charmed the audience.” – Waikato Times Testimonials

Wow! James Hill brings the uke to life. It is one thing to be so amazing on the ukulele… but to also connect and bring the magic to the hearts of his students, that’s wonderful. – Chris, Music Teacher

James’ lessons are delivered so clearly, amusingly and thoughtfully. – Faith, Adult Learner

I’m super-impressed by James’ teaching, organization and caring. As an ex-public school music teacher I realize how much he has invested in developing his teaching skills. – Ellie, Retired Music Teacher

So. If all this excites  you, then you can

 

Book a ticket to James’s workshop here. [this event was in the past]

Strum Fun Workshop with Ukulelezaza!

Remco

We had the great pleasure of a visit and a strum fun workshop from Ukulelezaza.

If you’ve not come across Remco Houtman-Janssen before, then you should have! He’s a world class player, who’s played in many Hawaiian bands, and regularly plays live at global ukulele festivals.  He paid us a visit from Belgium last Thursday, and ran a workshop at the Royal George.

Here are are the details of the strum fun workshop that he ran:

As a master of the right hand and a well experienced teacher, Zaza’s workshop on strumming techniques is a must-attend for anyone interested in traditional syncopated rhythm techniques, like the triplet, split stroke and swing jazz. One finger, two fingers, three fingers… You will leave this workshop with a few quintessential ukulele strums up your sleeve. Duration 75 minutes.

Some of the students said:

‘Remco is a great teacher and player. I leant a lot from this workshop and really enjoyed his concert that followed after the workshop. He has a wonderful collection of very old (and battered) uke’s of all shapes and sizes that he uses in his act. If you enjoy playing ‘jazz style’ numbers I can heartily recommend his book and DVD ‘happy days are here again’ which you can get from his website: www.jumpingfleamarket.nl. These alumni workshops are a great idea and I am really looking forward to the new ones.’
– Nigel Karney

‘Absolutely brilliant workshop, one you need to make sure is in your Diary. Zaza has a unique was of teaching which can make any Ukulele at any level sound beautiful. He has so much experience to offer, and if you are lucky he will show you what he can do with a wide range of his own Ukulele’s.’
– Maria Cox

4 Week Playing in a Ukulele Orchestra Course…

This course consists of (the usual Learn To Uke format) four 2 hour sessions working towards a “performance” of two finished pieces (selected on week 3 to suit the group) and arising from the techniques and experimentation undertaken. Participants only need to bring their instrument(s).

The course will explore the experience of playing ukulele in an orchestra of up to 14 players. Collective playing is always enjoyable but at its best can become intoxicating. With ensemble playing we will; seek to perform in a way that is contrasting but congruent and complimentary, present light and shade, and pose technical challenges suitable to players from a wide range of experiences and styles.

The aim of the course will be to:

  • Provide a supported and directed experience of playing in an orchestral/ensemble context.
  • Give all participants the opportunity to make a contribution to the musical whole, irrespective of experience.
  • Offer solo players the chance to develop their skills of playing with other musicians of differing interests and abilities.
  • Encourage “sympathetic listening” as part of the participants’ overall musical skills.
  • Improve the confidence of all participants

About the (awesome) teachers:

Awesome Andy Astle, Playing at the Royal Albert Hall with The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain.

Awesome Andy Astle, Playing at the Royal Albert Hall with The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain.

 

Andy Astle took up the ukulele in the mid 80’s as a founder member of the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain, with whom he played for the first ten years. He continues his ukulele playing alongside guitar, having used it in a variety of professional contexts from arrangements of early European music, to contemporary ‘left field’ rock with ‘Band of Holy Joy’, and his continuing solo work. He is an experienced teacher and performer, and has a special fondness for massed ranks of ukes, and a fascination with the ‘dark side’ of the ukulele.

 

'Noodly' Nick Browning, playing at the Royal Albert Hall with the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain

‘Noodly’ Nick Browning, playing at the Royal Albert Hall with the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain

 

Nick Browning has been active within the London ukulele community since 2006, performing, teaching and helping to organise events. He studied music at the City University and the classical guitar at the Guildhall School of Music. He has worked with George Hinchliffe (of the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain) on original arrangements and performances of the classical repertoire for the Ukulele and in 2011 played on Joe McElderry’s “Classic” album which reached #2 in the charts.

Ukulelezaza Strum Fun Ukulele Workshop…

 

We are really excited to announce the arrival of the Brilliant, Belgian Ukulele Superstar Ukulelezaza, and the Ukulelezaza Strum Fun Workshop!  This event has been opened up to Learn To Uke Alumni.

Belgian Superstar Ukulelezaza

This is The Belgian Superstar Ukulelezaza

Ukulele Strum Fun Workshop

As a master of the right hand and a well experienced teacher, Zaza’s workshop on strumming techniques is a must-attend for anyone interested in traditional syncopated rhythm techniques, like the triplet, split stroke and swing jazz. One finger, two fingers, three fingers… You will leave this workshop with a few quintessential ukulele strums up your sleeve.

If you want to know all about the man himself, read on:

Ukulelezaza (real name Remco Houtman-Janssen) started playing ukulele at age 11, following in his mother’s footsteps, who organised George Formby meetings and sang and played ukulele and uke-banjo in several bands. In his teens he lost interest, but then rediscovered the uke in 1994, in his early twenties, and has been playing passionately ever since.

From the mid-1990s onwards Zaza played in Hawaiian bands for about eight years and attended about a dozen ukulele events in the UK, which formed the basis of his style of playing. Nowadays, when performing solo, Zaza mostly plays 1920s/30s music and original instrumentals, and uses a variety of ukuleles: Martin soprano and taropatch, National resonator, plastic Ukette and the instrument that started it all for him, the uke-banjo (a fine Ludwig). His gentle touch and overall right hand mastery rank him amongst Europe’s finest ukulele players, and he has performed at many ukulele festivals throughout the world. He is a well experienced ukulele teacher for all levels, with a bag of tricks second to none. Zaza is also the co-founder and organiser of the Belgian Ukulele Festival, which had its first edition in 2007.

Early 2011 he released his first solo album, Painting The Clouds With Sunshine, on which he plays ukulele, plectrum banjo, plectrum guitar and lapsteel guitar, backed by acoustic guitar, accordion, bass and tuba. Spring 2012 he published his first ukulele instruction book featuring tabs of his solo arrangements of famous and more obscure songs from the Golden Jazz Era. The book also features information about and plenty of photographs of the vintage ukuleles Zaza passionately collects, including Martin and National.

So, there you have it.  17 October, 6.30pm.  Be there, or be square!